I would be interested in anyone's experience with grounding a Catalina 30 wing keel with the tide going out and going to leave the boat dry (or nearly so, e.g., with tides >4 feet or so). I am most interested in Mark IIs (e.g. 1988) if it makes any difference in responses. Let's assume the boat is on sand or mud.
The answers might be different for a wing keel vs a fin keel. I am most interested with a wing keel but would like to hear discussion of boats with both keels.
Is it better to try to support the boat and keep the boat upright and support the weight on the keel, or to lay the boat on its side?
Seems to me, keeping the boat upright would be risky with what might be available to you when accidentally grounded somewhere. Maybe this would work better on hard sand, but on soft mud is seems very difficult or impossible. If the boat later tipped over later, it seems the damage could be significant.
If you lay the boat on her side, I have some questions. I presume one would want to put a tarp or something (if available) on the side that will contact the bottom to prevent damage. Obviously you'd close up the cabin hatches, stopcocks on throughholes, etc. You would want to lay the boat on the side towards to shore to keeps waves out.
Would the boat lay over easily? Would the boat float up easily when the tide comes back in without water getting to the cabin hatch or cause problems in the cockpit (e.g., electronics, water in the lazerettes, water trying to get into cabin, etc.)? Do you need to work very hard (such as with a halyard out to an anchor, or pulling down on the boom to the side) to get the boat to lay on her side and not stand on the (wing) keel? Is this all pretty straightforward, or tricky? Anyone try to balance the boat on the wing keel with maybe some supports from lines, spinnaker pole of other items?
How stable is the boat upright on the wing keel at various stages of water dropping out from under her? If the boat is going to be left dry vs. say in 2 feet of water, is the approach different? Is the boat fairly steady sitting on the wing? Is it important to move anything around the boat to try to balance it better? Seems like wind would be a factor. What's the best way to support the boat with what would typically be available on board? Experiences?
I would love to hear some experiences and suggestions in case I ever get in this situation (e.g., in the Pacific Northwest, east coast or elsewhere).
Obviously its best to not run aground, and if you do, to get off quickly. However, it does happen and could happen at dead high tide.
Thanks in advance. Love the Catalina 30 forums!
The answers might be different for a wing keel vs a fin keel. I am most interested with a wing keel but would like to hear discussion of boats with both keels.
Is it better to try to support the boat and keep the boat upright and support the weight on the keel, or to lay the boat on its side?
Seems to me, keeping the boat upright would be risky with what might be available to you when accidentally grounded somewhere. Maybe this would work better on hard sand, but on soft mud is seems very difficult or impossible. If the boat later tipped over later, it seems the damage could be significant.
If you lay the boat on her side, I have some questions. I presume one would want to put a tarp or something (if available) on the side that will contact the bottom to prevent damage. Obviously you'd close up the cabin hatches, stopcocks on throughholes, etc. You would want to lay the boat on the side towards to shore to keeps waves out.
Would the boat lay over easily? Would the boat float up easily when the tide comes back in without water getting to the cabin hatch or cause problems in the cockpit (e.g., electronics, water in the lazerettes, water trying to get into cabin, etc.)? Do you need to work very hard (such as with a halyard out to an anchor, or pulling down on the boom to the side) to get the boat to lay on her side and not stand on the (wing) keel? Is this all pretty straightforward, or tricky? Anyone try to balance the boat on the wing keel with maybe some supports from lines, spinnaker pole of other items?
How stable is the boat upright on the wing keel at various stages of water dropping out from under her? If the boat is going to be left dry vs. say in 2 feet of water, is the approach different? Is the boat fairly steady sitting on the wing? Is it important to move anything around the boat to try to balance it better? Seems like wind would be a factor. What's the best way to support the boat with what would typically be available on board? Experiences?
I would love to hear some experiences and suggestions in case I ever get in this situation (e.g., in the Pacific Northwest, east coast or elsewhere).
Obviously its best to not run aground, and if you do, to get off quickly. However, it does happen and could happen at dead high tide.
Thanks in advance. Love the Catalina 30 forums!
